Sendai & Matsushima Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Guide

The day, stop by stop

1. Zuihoden · 1 minZuihoden is also known as the Mausoleum of Date Masamune who was the first lord of the Sendai Domain. He was also known for being a great architect and is known for having designed this building during the Momoyama Period.
2. Sendai Castle Guidance House · 1 minThe Sendai Castle Ruins were the inspiration for a famous Japanese poem called ‘The moon over the desolate castle’ and this tells you all you need to know about their condition now. The ruins also do include a model of the original gate to give you a feel of how Sendai Castle would have looked in the days of old.
3. SS30 · 1 minIf you want to get the best views in Sendai then you need to head to SS 30 Observation Lounge. This building is actually an office block so there is not much to check out here except for two observation decks on the 29th and 30th floors.
4. Chiteinomori Mueum · 1 min****Closed for long-term renovation from August 31, 2026, through the end of March 2029********* The Museum of the Forest of Depths of the Earth is dedicated to telling you the story of the stone age in Japan.
5. Kirin Beer Sendai Factory · 1 minDiscover Kirin's special production methods and the secret of the delicious taste. You woll discover how to enjoy the KIRIN ICHIBAN brewery tour. *You need to make a reservation in advance, please ask your guide to book a tour.
6. Matsushima Bay · 1 minLocated half an hour outside of Sendai, Matsushima (松島) is famous for its bay, which is dotted by many pine clad islets and has been ranked one of Japan's three most scenic views for centuries. The small town is also known for Zuiganji, one of the Tohoku Region's most important Zen temples.
7. Zuiganji · 1 minZuiganji (瑞巌寺) is one of the Tohoku Region's most famous and prominent Zen temples, and is well known for its beautifully gilded and painted sliding doors (fusuma). Zuiganji was originally founded in 828 as a temple of the Tendai sect, and was converted into a Zen temple during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333).
8. Fukuurajima · 1 minFukuura Island (福浦島, Fukuurajima) is one of the few pine covered islands in Matsushima Bay that is accessible to the public. The island is reached via a 252 meter long, red painted bridge that costs 200 yen (round trip) to cross. The bridge was damaged by the tsunami of March 11, 2011 and had to undergo repair works.
9. Entsu-in Temple · 1 minEntsuin Temple (円通院, Entsūin) was built in 1647 next to Matsushima's most important temple, Zuiganji Temple, to house the mausoleum of Date Mitsumune, the son of the ruling local feudal lord Date Terumune.
10. Kanrantei · 1 minKanrantei (観瀾亭) is a Momoyama-style tea house originally built in Kyoto by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who gave it to Date Masamune for his service. Date's son eventually moved it to its current location overlooking Matsushima Bay.
11. Godaido · 1 minGodaido (五大堂, Godaidō) is a small temple hall on an islet just next to the pier. Due to its prominent location, it has become a symbol of Matsushima. Godaido was built in 807 and contains five statues which were enshrined by the same priest who founded nearby Zuiganji.
12. 1 minOshima Oshima (雄島) is a small, pine tree-covered island close to the pier of Matsushima. The island can be accessed over a short bridge free of charge and offers some pleasant, short walks. There are multiple small shrines and viewpoints dotted about the island.
13. Sendai City Museum · 5 minSendai City Museum was built in the Sannomaru enclosure on the site of the remains of Sendai castle for the purpose of preserving, exhibiting, and studying a set of materials (cultural assets) donated by the Date family of Sendai (One of the samurai families that has continued since the Kamakura Era.) .
14. Shiogama Shrine · 1 minShiogama Jinja (鹽竈神社) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. Known from the ninth century, fifteen of its buildings have been designated Important Cultural Properties. It is the head shrine of several hundred Shiogama shrines located throughout Japan.

Guide languages: English, Japanese. Cancellation: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. Run by Japan Guide Agency.